Wednesday, May 25, 2022
  • About Us
  • ImagiNATION
  • Adverts
  • Rate Card
  • Contact Us
The Nation Online
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Columns
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Columns
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Columns Bottom Up

Welcome to another Malawi

by Staff Writer
24/11/2012
in Bottom Up
3 min read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedinLinkedinShare via Email

Jean-Philippe, Julia and I left Mchinji for Lilongwe as soon as Julia finished packing her farm inputs into the vehicle. She had been disappointed with the fact that some the herbicides she bought were actually dangerous to human beings in the long term.

“So, how should my workers handle the herbicides?”

“The best is not to use them at all,” I replied.

“But if you choose to still apply them in your GM maize, let those mixing and spraying the herbicides wear gloves, industrial overalls and boots; cover their mouths with surgical masks and their eyes with welding glasses, ” Jean-Philippe explained.

“That will make farming very expensive. Can poor smallholder farmers afford all that?” Julia asked herself.

“Farming is not cheap. Your government needs to invest seriously in food production. Your scientists should appropriately inform government before adopting some technologies,” Jean-Phillipe said.

We passed through Julia’s farm before driving to Lilongwe. We went to our temporary home at Area 15.  But, Jean-Philippe was rather uncomfortable. He asked me if I still had energy to drive away from the city to somewhere we could breathe real fresh air. I said I did. He then reminded me about his request for us to go to Lake Malawi for a swim.

I remembered. So, we drove to Bwandilo to buy fuel. The petrol attendant there told us that we were lucky to find some because all over Lilongwe, there was almost no filling station with petrol.

We started off sometime in the afternoon. Around 4pm. At Kanengo, we turned right and drove down towards Salima. Jean-Philippe was impressed with the undulating hills of Dowa. Apart from mango trees and hedgerows of vetiver grass, the rolling hills along the Lilongwe-Salima highway were virtually bare. Occasionally, Jean-Philippe stopped me to take a picture.

When we got to the Salima-Nkhotakota road junction, I turned left. Jean-Philippe asked me where exactly we were going because all he wanted was to swim in the lake.

“We are going to the lake of stars.”

“When did they advertise the gig?”

“Which gig?”

“The Lake of Stars is some sort of music festival, isn’t it?”

I explained to Jean-Philippe the difference between the lake of stars as synonym for Lake Malawi’s most sparkling waters and the lake of stars as a music festival that was started by the management of Chintheche Inn before the Malawi Government hijacked and politicised it.

“What do you mean? How was it politicised?”

I did not answer.

It was getting dark but we drove on. I did so slowly this time because unlike the Lilongwe-Mchinji highway, the Salima-Nkhata Bay road is a snare. It is probably the most potholed and uneven main road in Malawi. Some of the potholes appeared to have been caused by natural tear and wear, but others were actually manmade, literally. Someone had been contracted to patch up the road but must have abandoned the work. Even worse, most of the bridges are so narrow you would think they were meant for ox-carts.

“Are you sure we are still in Malawi?”

I did not answer him. I concentrated on keeping the vehicle on the road until we got to a place near the Nkhotakota boma where a signpost announced: “Welcome to another Malawi”.

 

Previous Post

College of Medicine doctor gets AU Young Scientist Award

Next Post

Anti-piracy war rages on

Related Posts

Ukrainian servicemen get ready to repel an attack in Ukraine's Lugansk region on February 24, 2022. - Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, killing dozens and forcing hundreds to flee for their lives in the pro-Western neighbour. Russian air strikes hit military facilities across the country and ground forces moved in from the north, south and east, triggering condemnation from Western leaders and warnings of massive sanctions. (Photo by Anatolii STEPANOV / AFP) (Photo by ANATOLII STEPANOV/AFP via Getty Images)
Bottom Up

Ukraine war: Sanctions backfire?

May 21, 2022
Was known to have sired no child: Kamuzu
Bottom Up

Thank you Kamuzu for our free university education

May 14, 2022
Bottom Up

Umunthu, decolonisation of Malawian education

April 30, 2022
Next Post
The Nation Online Anti-piracy war rages on

Anti-piracy war rages on

Opinions and Columns

People’s Tribunal

What was that press briefing all about?

May 22, 2022
Big Man Wamkulu

Wife, in-law plotting my downfall

May 22, 2022
My Thought

Tonse Alliance died on arrival

May 22, 2022
Layman's Reflection

New IMF programme pivotal moment for Tonse Alliance

May 21, 2022

Trending Stories

  • Kalindo: I am hearing it from you

    Kalindo earmarked for diplomatic post

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Musician Martse in hospital after fire accident

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Cooking oil project impresses Chilima

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Musicians, fans mourn Martse

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Witness U-turns in Batatawala, 3 others case

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Malawi-Music.com Top10

  • Values
  • Our Philosophy
  • Editorial policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism disclaimer
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

© 2022 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Columns
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation

© 2020 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.